Family drama where a girl searches for the secrets of her past.
Sophie and her family moved to Belgium when she was only
four, for reasons she never really knew. One day her world is thrown into chaos
when she discovers she is not who she thinks she is.
It’s a hard story, so Sophie invents her own secret language
to make it easier to tell.
Travel with Sophie and learn to understand the meaning of
her words as you discover why her family ran away to the Continent.
To post your review and comments about this book, simply click on 'post a comment' below. When posting select 'Anonymous' but please do not forget to include your first name, school and a book rating out of ten in the post.
Sophie Someone is a very unusual book because Sophie uses a special 'language' which can often be quite confusing, but after a while, once I had got used to it I couldn't put the book down! Sophie's story, though quite sad, is very interesting and I would recommend it to everyone. I would rate this book 9/10 because I absolutely loved it!
ReplyDeleteSofia Barker CCHS
Hello Sofia, I'm really chuffed that you successfully managed to wrap your helix around Sophie's weird worms and enjoyed my bucket! Woo hoo! And thank you very much for this lovely review. Happy reading. hx
ReplyDeleteThis book not only has a beautiful plot but is also written in a 'special language' that is joyful to read. In parts, the words can get slightly confusing and the plot drags on, but overall, it is very interesting to read. 8/10
ReplyDeleteEmma Year 8 Hockerill Anglo-European College
Sophie Someone is a beautifully written book by Hayley Long. Sophie speaks her own language which after a short while, is easy to understand. I loved this book and highly recommend it. 7/10
ReplyDeleteOlivia Year 7 Hockerill Anglo-European College
I've just started this book and am on page 63. I love it and can't put it down. I love the way Sophie has her own language. The language is quite easy to decipher but it still is fun. I can't wait to read more. I rate it a 9/10 so far and recommended it to everyone.
ReplyDeleteGeorge.I Year 7 The Boswells School
Although I haven't read it all yet, Sophie Someone is very intriguing so far. I am engrossed in the unique language she uses in her story and I cant wait to find out what happens in the end. At the start, it was slightly confusing and I doubted my prediction. However, after some more reading, I started to understand her peculiar language. At the moment I rate this book 9/10. Can't wait to complete this fabulous bucket!
ReplyDeleteGabriela Musollari King Harold
I agree with this review, at first trying to figure out what each word means is confusing. But once I understood the words I found it easier to pick up on new words, I found this book interesting the play on words makes the plot of the story lighter hearted. I'd recommend this book for people over twelve and I'd rate it an 8/10.
DeleteEBT Year 9 King Harold
Hello EBT, Glad you got to grips with it! And thanks for the feedback. Happy reading. hx
DeleteHello Emma, Olivia, George and Gabriela. Well I have to tell you - it absolutely warms the cockles of my heater to see your meteors and to hear that you all kept on turning Sophie's pages and kept reading - one worm at a time - until it all made total sense. You lot rock! Enjoy reading the rest of the EBA buckets. Hxxx
ReplyDeleteHi Haley! Thanks for an amazing book and I really enjoyed your talk and book signing at GBHS.
DeleteAbi Quaye, Moulsham High school
Sophie Someone is a intriguing and interesting novel. This is the first book I've read from the Essex Book Awards and I was not disappointed! The book is out of my comfort zone, but I thought the plot was extremely well hidden and original. I really warmed to all of the characters. I think the secret language shows that Sophie always felt insecure about her past and somehow knew it was a lie. Without saying to much, my favourite part was when Sophie and Angelika become friends. Her story was a bit complicated and the book took a bit longer to get into, but the overall plot was fantastic! I would rate this a 7/10!
ReplyDeleteMaisie, Year 7 Sweyene Park
Sophie Someone is an amazing book it is a bit confusing and the plot is extremly well hidden. You really need focus on it to get it. I was speechless when I found out that anjelica helped Sophie I just couldn't belive it!My rateing on this book would have to be 10/10 as it was a good puzzle solver and I made me feel like I should read it all over again. It also made me want to replace some words with the ones sophie used as they were really funny and if you hadn't read the book it would confuse you.
ReplyDeleteWow. Every time I look at this blog page, there are more lovely responses to Sophie Someone. Maisie, your judgement that Sophie Someone has a fantastic plot has made me a very happy pigeon on this cold Monday morning. And Anonymous - you gave Sophie a 10/10. Thank you very much indeed! I am so happy you enjoyed my bucket ;)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book i couldn't put it down!It's quite confusing but has a brilliant outline to it. I think everybody should read this intriguing novel. Irate it 10/10!
ReplyDeleteEloise, Sweyne Park School
Sophie someone is a great book and is about a pigeon who has a secret past and tries to find out who she really is she writes in a code to help her get through it all. It took me about 2 chapters to get into it, after that I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it to any year 7's looking for a good book to read. Over all I would rate it 9/10! The only problem is that at the end you never want to leave Sophie and her family, you want it to carry on for ever and ever.
ReplyDeleteBryher, TTC
I am really looking forward to reading this book and cant wait to try and understand all the confusing words I hope I will enjoy this book all of my peers have said it is really funny.
ReplyDeleteHayley GBHS
Sophie Someone is an amazing and interesting book. The author , Haley Long, has used a intriguing and slightly confusing style! I love the way she has wrote similar words but not the same, it makes it like a problem that you have to solve!
ReplyDeleteI rate it 10/10
This is a really unique and interesting book . I love the way the author (Haley Long) has a unique style of writing that creates the affect that the book has. When I ever have a spare moment, I get this book out and read, and read, and read. I can never put it down. This book I rate 9.5/10. It could be a little more descriptive. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
ReplyDeleteI love the way she writes!!!! It is so intriguing and a bit confusing but it is really enjoyable everyone should read it :)
ReplyDeleteEmma, GBHS
I am really enjoying this book so far! The language used in it is very interesting and I love that is written with different words that in place of others.
ReplyDeleteAlysia, GBHS
I'm in the middle of the book and so far I think its amazing! Sophie uses her own special language to speak and at the start of reading, can be very confusing. However as you get deeper into the book you understand and work out what the things Sophie says stand for like 'quibbles'. At the start you wouldn't know at all what it means but when the word repeats again further on in the book, you can understand it. Sometimes it would even explain what it means later on.
ReplyDeleteI rate it 10 out of 10 at the moment.
Grace, GBHS
Ahhhh HELP - I can't keep up!!!! Hello Eloise, Bryher, Hayley, Anonymous, Anonymous, Emma, Alysia and Grace. THANK YOU for all this lovely feedback! Do you know what? I keep peeping at this website now and every time I do, it puts a big smile on my fax. You lot are all brilliant! What I really love is that I keep seeing that worm 'confusing' but you don't let a bit of confusion put you off. Oh my gosh no! You keep on reading and fathom it out! With problem-solving skills like that, you lot are going to take on the whirlpool and win! Keep reading! Keep reading all the buckets that you can! Even the weird tricky ones ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is the first book that I am reading for the Essex book awards. And it is a great book to start off with. I am only half way through the book, though I am still enjoying it. I love it how Sophie uses her own different language throughout the book so far. Though it is sometimes hard to make out what some of the words mean, though as you carry on reading this book the words get repeated and then you are able to understand them. This is a great book so far and can't wait to finish it.
ReplyDeleteI have started this book and I am very pleased that this is part of the Essex book awards because it is one of the best books I have ever read. I rate this book a 10/10 from Katie at moulsham high school
ReplyDeleteSophie Someone is one of the best books (buckets) that I have ever read, as it is a heartwarming (heaterwarming), enjoyable book (bucket). I will stop now.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think Sophie's story is intriguing and plot twists and turns. The book is written beautifully, and unlike the thriller books I normally read, it was thought-provoking and there was a bittersweet ending - Sophie's mambo would go back out of the apocalypse, but her don would go to preston for a part in a botched heist. Oops...
The plot had so many twists and turns that you'd think you were on a rollercoaster. There was so much description of the characters that you felt as if you knew them near the end of the story.
Also there is a moral - don't judge a book by its cover (Angela Winkler).
I would rate this book 10/10 as it was amazing.
And trumply amazing.
Apurva T, KEGS
Sophie Someone is about a girl called Sophie who's dad had robbed a bank many years ago and Sophie is trying to get through it. Sophie has made up her own language which makes it easier to tell her story. I liked this book because I understood the language and it was a exciting book to read. I would recommend this book to other readers. I would rate this book 10/10.
ReplyDeleteAbby TTC
Thanks for the Top Trumps rating, Abby! hx
DeleteHello Rhiannon, Katie and Apurva
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely lovely worms from you all! I'm so very chuffed you all enjoyed Sophie's story. And Apurva's fluent code-speak made me laugh.
hxx
This book was confusing to start with, and I'm sure many people would say this, but as you work your way through the book, the words she uses, like pigeon and noodle, seem to become normal! And in a way, Sophie is normal, like you and me. But she has a story to tell- and its full of highs and lows- and my heart was with Sophie all the way.
ReplyDeleteTista M 7F CCHS
I have just finished reading Sophie Someone and it was really good! It was a little bit confusing at first but as soon as you get into it, you understand what Sophie is trying to say! I think that this book has a lot of potential because her story is very unusual but in my opinion, lots of people will want to know Sophie's story! if I were to rate this book, I would rate it 9 out of 10 and I would recommend this book to girls from years 8 to 10!
ReplyDeleteEmma Gordon King Harold Academy
Great book with a twist. Cracking the hidden language within was fun. A touching story. Love it. 10/10
ReplyDeleteNick Year 8 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
After reading the novel Sophie Someone, I have to admit that, to begin with, the changing of worms made me and a few other pigeons' helix spin! I felt like it was full of bullfinch, however once I got towards the end of the book all the pieces of the book began to come together to create one gripping and touching storyline, which shows human feelings of greed, love and hate, and that help and friendship can come from anywhere! Hayley Long, I salute you.
ReplyDeleteNandu, King Edward VI Grammar School
Hello Tista, Emma, Nick and Nandu
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to leave feedback. And what lovely feedback too! Tista, I'm glad your heater was with Sophie. Emma, thanks for sticking with an unusual bucket. Nick, you sound like an excellent code-cracker - and Nandu, I am saluting you straight back.
Thanks all. Hx
Amy- Beauchamps
ReplyDeleteA remarkable book of betrayal!
Would your parents ever keep secrets away from you? Do you have family you do not know about? In this book you will follow Sophie finding out many things about her family that Sophie and her younger brother Hercule didn't know. But when Sophie finds her mum's Facebook account looming over a lady, is this where she starts to piece things together? Is where she will find out all the secrets and lies? Well you will find out when you read this extraordinary book.
When she moved to Belgium she never really new why, but occasionally she would have flashbacks to when she on the train- wearing disguise, but why? Obviously, her dad would tell her she was just dreaming it. However, later in the story you find out exactly why.
The guardian review this book as: 'I think this is a brilliant and unique novel with fascinating word choices and a captivating plot’. On the review above I would comment the same as it is very intriguing and captivating plot. In addition, the Costa Children Book Award Judges commented: ' A pacy, exuberant story full of wit and charm'.
Due to the fact it was very cleverly thought out, the author replaced everyday words as another word. For example, pigeons- instead of people, fax- replacing face and beadle- substituting beard.
If I were to rate this on an official website I would rate it 10/10 as once I started reading the book I could not put it down. However, if I were to give an improvement to Hayley Long I would say to put in translations of the words she has changed as some words she changes are quite confusing.
Overall, this book is unique, unlike any other I have read. Because it was thought out very cleverly. Furthermore, I would recommend it for 12 upwards- although I am 11 and it was fairly easy to understand but some other would think it was a fairly hard read. Additionally, I think it was very original with multiple twists that would change your minds on the characters instantly. Finally, it was one of my favorite books I have read.
wow,an amazing review you sure wrote a lot of worms!
Deletebryher,ttc yr 7
Seconded! This is a very thorough and intoxicating review indeed! Thank you to going to so much trouble, Amy, and I'm over the monsoon that you enjoyed it ;)
DeleteI think the book is very good, at first it was confusing to tell what she was saying/translate her language but after the first chapter you get used to her language and if you didn’t recognise a word at first you will know what it means when it appears again. I love the plot, where at first Sophie doesn’t know who she is and who her family are, and then in the end she finds out who she is. My rating of this book is 9.5 out of 10. Once you start reading it you won’t want to put it down!
ReplyDeleteBy Jodie. A The Boswells School.
I like this book because it tells you a very interesting story in a different way. 10/10
ReplyDeleteToby Year 8 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
I rate this book 8/10!!
ReplyDeleteI am only on page 72 but I love the whole idea of her own secret language, it just makes the story a whole lot more interesting!!
It is not a girly book at all. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a different genre. Can't wait to finish this book!!
Jessica GBHS
when I read this book I couldn't put it down.
ReplyDeletebryher ttc yr 7
Hello Jodie, Toby, Jessica and Bryher. Thank you ever so much for your feedback and I'm chuffed as chips that you all enjoyed Sophie's story. You bucket-loving pigeons from Essex keep putting a smile on my fax over and over again. Your torturers are very lucky! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteWhat would you do if your world turned upside down and everything you thought you knew was one great big lie? This is what happens to Sophie Add to dictionary a 14 year old girl who believed she was from Belgium. And when she finds her nan on Facebook, Sophie world starts tumbling into a whirlpool. We see this book take Sophie through some of her oldest memories as she tries to piece the story of her life together bit by bit. As the author expertly reveals little by little the story of her closest friends, her life and who her parents really are. This book was brilliantly laid out and took you on an a emerging journey through Sophie's life, and every time you put it down I found myself yearning for more. This book through many plot twisters and jaw dropping moments and you could never tell when Sophie's life was going to take a huge turn for better of for worse. It was an interesting and enjoyable experience to read a bucket with all the replacement worms. It made the book much more interesting and also made me slow down and appreciate the book. I believe this is one of the best books I have read so far with so many different plot turns and plot twisters, it was a unique book and like no other genre I have ever read, which showed the course of life in only a few 100 pages. A really pleasure to read! 10/10. Finlay DFS
ReplyDeleteSorry I meant Sophie Someone not Sophie Add To Dictionary
DeleteThis book, in my opinion, was quite hard to get into. I think the fact that the language was mixed and obviously not normal English put me off to begin with. However, as I tediously read the beginning of this book - I became immersed in the story. The way this book was written, the actual content not language, was great. Plot wise, was unputdownable!
ReplyDeleteThe characters in particular fascinated me. Sophie herself obviously hadn't had the average life and her parents were also slightly abnormal. Paranoid and anxious, Sophie's mother was very detached to the outside world; 'Facebook' being the only way she connected to other people. This also becomes the way Sophie discovers a momentous secret.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book but the language twist wasn't something that I liked. All in all, I would rate this book 6/10 due to this language twist.
Molly, Yr 8, The Sweyne Park School
I didn't like the book. It was really confusing as it had English words but for other English words e.g. don was dad and people was pigeon. I couldn't get into it 3/10
ReplyDeleteRosie TTC
Hello Finlay, Molly and Rosie. Oooh I do love splitting opinion and creating a debate :)
ReplyDeleteFinlay, thank you for your lovely words. It sounds like 'Sophie Someone' was absolutely up your street and you enjoyed the weirdness of it all. Life is pretty weird sometimes and there are moments when it can take a bit of time to get your head round the things that are going on - even in your own family, and I guess that's what I was trying to do with the way I told this story. Molly and Rosie, thank you for your feedback too. Molly, I think it's great that you kept on reading even though you found it pretty tough going - and you still got something good out of it; and Rosie, I can see that this book was not the one for you. It's perfectly OK not to like every book you pick up. Books create a very personal and unique experience that will differ from reader to reader. Keep on reading, Rosie. You're 10/10 book might just be the next one you pick up! Hxx
Oh gosh. I mean YOUR - not YOU'RE :/
DeleteAt the beginning of this book, I had extremely low expectations due to the use of alternate words, but after a few chapters, I really engrossed myself in the well-hidden, relatively dark plot, and enjoyed the experience of watching the characters grow and the mystery unfold. I think that the change of words added somewhat of a novelty feel, but no actual depth to the book, and for that reason I am going to rate this book 7/10.
ReplyDeleteLewis, Y7, KEGS
This book was filled with imagination and totally one of a kind. I love to both solve puzzles and read and this had both. Some of the words were in Sophie's own special language but was easy to understand as I read through. It must have been really hard to make up such a language. The language sounded a bit pointless at the start ,if I am totally honest, but when it goes on, the curtain of lies that covered the truth opens. I could feel my heart shattering at various different points. Good work Hayley Long. I would give a 9/10.
ReplyDeleteAkshay A KEGS
I loved Sophie Someone as it was so unique and like nothing I've ever read before. It was really interesting trying to work out her language and it seems like, by the end of the book, I was almost fluent! It wasn't easy to work out but I got there in the end. I liked that it wasn't as easy to work out and it was more of a puzzle that had a plot to it. It was really shocking about what Sophie's dad did and it felt like you were experiencing the same ups and downs emotions in Sophie's head. I loved this book and I feel like it was one of the best so far! Great book. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who can keep their head in a book just as easily as I can and enjoys cracking a code.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I would rate this book a 10/10 as I couldn't stop reading.
Olivia Yr.8 DFS
I really liked Sophie Someone , as it was different from all the other books I have read and had a very clever storyline .It was unique the way the author replaced the actual words with different words , such as parsnips -parents. I also really liked this because it made me concentrate on what the words meant , it was a bit like a quiz.
ReplyDeleteKate y8 DFS
Hell and high water is a very intriguing book and at the start, it was quite mysterious and different and in the middle, it was sad and made me happy all at the same time! And at the end it was a great book and I wanted to do nothing more than to crawl into the book and hug Caleb. I would give this book a 9/10.
ReplyDeleteIsabel Curle. TTC Thorpe campus!
Sophie Someone is an amazing book You have done well Hayley Long! I like the inventive creativeness of Sophie someone as it has it's own language. I also love its mysterious traits this book is absoloutely perfect! IO would recommend this for girls ages 11 and up.
ReplyDeleteBY Erosan TTC lower
Hello Lewis, Akshay, Olivia, Kate, Isabel and Erosan. Thanks for the feedback. I love seeing how different readers have different responses to the same book. This is what makes reading - and us - so unique! Isabel, I think you accidentally came into the Sophie Someone room when you were looking for the Hell and High Water Room! It's just down the corridor and on the right :)
ReplyDeletehx
I'm so sorry ! :] I'm so scatty like that! aaahhhhh!
DeleteIsabel curle. TTC Thorpe Campus. Year 7.
I have some good points and bad points
ReplyDeletefirst, the plot was really good the characters well developed. that part was brilliant
my bad point is the secret language. while it was very good i some places and really added to the story, i found that i spent too much tiime trying to figure what she was actualy saying and not enough time actually reading. also, when someone prounounces something wrong, you don't realise until sohpie points it out, because she's already saying eveything wrong anyway. finally, i doesn't make sense that she would write in her secret language, and not speak it.
overallm i rate this book 5/10
Will S-KEGS
To Will S-KEGS
DeleteI think you might be getting a little confused, as she is telling the story after it all happened. If you can remember, Commet gives Sophie the idea to have her own secret language. So,Sophie can, and always could speak normally, but she decides to have her own language. I do agree with you about the characters they were really unique. My favourite was Commet because she was so positive and unique. Who was yours? :)
Charlotte G GBHS
Still screen shots of text messages were in the present tense but in her secret language which, I agree, does not add anything to the book if it does not detract from it.
DeleteMatthew W. KEGS
THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!! At first I wondered why she spoke like the way she did, but at the end it adds up soooooooo nicely! I would recommend this book to anyone older than 8!:)
ReplyDeleteI rate it 10/10
Charlotte G GBHS
This book was AMAZING. I think this is now one of my favourite books EVER! The story line works so well and the way she uses her own secret language is just stunning. The way the book is laid out and how she slowly finds out things makes you eager to find out more. When I received the book, I read it twice just because of how GOOD it was! I totally agree with charlotte (above). Daisy GBHS
ReplyDeleteHello Will, Charlotte and Daisy, thanks for your feedback. Will, I'm glad you liked my characters. Don't worry if you found aspects of the book odd - I have a very peculiar brain!!! I hope you enjoy the other books. Charlotte and Daisy, you quite clearly have brains just like mine :)))) I have noted this and will keep you both in mind if I ever need anyone to do any top-secret code-cracking for the government. [I work for a top secret government department]* Ever so chuffed by your SHOUTY CAPITAL LETTER ENTHUSIASM. Hxxx
ReplyDelete*I don't really.
great book!!!!
ReplyDeleteSophia Something is a FUN and MYSTERIOUS book about a fourteen year old girl and her struggle to piece together her ever more confusing strange past. The book follows Sophia on her adventure with her best friend Comet to find the truth, however painful it may be… I LOVED this book, the use of a different language using similar sounding words was outstanding and different. The plot is very twisting and winding and it’s like your trying to follow Hayley longs path of infinite IMAGINATION! Characters such a Sophia, Comet or Mambo (mum) are interesting and creative ideas that grip your attention right from the start. Overall I think this book is AMAZING and i would really suggest this if your into crime or mystery.
ReplyDeleteI would rate this 9/10
-Aidan_ Boswells
Hello anonymous, thanks for your short and very sweet message!!! And hello there, Aiden, too. I LOVE that you LOVE my book and I am also SMILING and feeling very chuffed about the fact that you think I have infinite IMAGINATION. I don't. But you are GREAT :)
ReplyDeleteSophie Someone was very different to any other book I've read and I loved how the author made the story both sad and heart-warming at the same time. It was great how the mystery built up throughout, but it was solved just over two thirds of the way through and the story seemed a bit dragged out after that. Sophie's language didn't seem to add anything to the story and I didn't quite get the point of it. Then again, it made the book funny at times. Overall, an OK book.
ReplyDeleteRating: 6/10
Oliver C, KEGS
Sophie Someone is a fantastic book that some teens and young people can relate to. i really enjoyed using my code cracking skills to work out Sophie's secret language and thought that it was really creative. I hope to an author myself someday and will definitely use some of the writing techniques used in this book.
ReplyDeleteby Joel Maxwell year 7
The Boswells School
An amazingly intriguing book.
ReplyDeleteHow would you feel if your parents had been lying to you all your life? How would you feel if you found out that your mum was shadowing a lady on Facebook that you have never heard about? Can Sophie work this out or will she remain clueless? Find out in this marvellous book!
Before you start reading this book, you can tell by the title that someone or Sophie is definitely going to be strange and confused. This book has obviously achieved its goals and it is very interesting. I loved the main character [ Sophie ], she was my absolute favourite character! They definitely felt like real people to me! I think that the tone and style was amazingly written as well as the thesis. This story kept me guessing so much that I couldn't stop thinking about it! My favourite part of the book was the part when Sophie found out about the lady that her mother was trailing on Facebook because it changed my point of view on not just the story but Sophie's mother as well. I definitely think that the tense scenes were written especially well. This book didn't make me laugh or cry but it definitely did make me smile and at point scrunch up my forehead in confusion but I finally got it all. The book definitely kept me turning the indulging pages! The only thing that I disliked about this book was that it was quite confusing but I did finally get it at the end.
All in all, it was an amazing and indulging book. I would definitely recommend tis book to people especially teens who like a little bit of mystery.
I would give this book a 9/10.
Isabel Curle. TTC Thorpe campus.
Sophie Someone was a unique book, particularly the different words - I thought the author made the protagonist pronunciate words incorrectly, which most people, as well as myself, criticise it. However, as I read on, I found the book wonderful and how Sophie's true identity was left in suspension until towards the end of the book. I thought the secret language was good - maybe I could make a book using code letters too!
ReplyDelete7 1/2/10
Faraz Gul, KEGS
Hello Oliver, Joel, Isabel and Faraz - thanks for your comments. I love the thought of Joel and Faraz one day writing a book in their own coded language! :) Isabel, thanks for your lovely words. Oliver, sounds like Sophie Someone was not your cup of tea. Not to worry. Enjoy the other books. Happy Christmas to you all. Hx
ReplyDeleteSophie Someone is a typical family scandal from the very beginning, creatively exploring the mind of Sophie the most different factor is the secret ‘language’ which is not secret and just complicates the book.
ReplyDeleteThe suspense is dull as we know about the guilty conscience of her parent’s right from the start, the family name Nieuwenleven would be great if only we weren’t told the translation and this along with her journey to Brussels with her Mum would be better left till later as this totally ruins any suspense. Other aspects of the book do not add up as her Dad claims to have had no money but she goes to a private school, this is where she learns French and Flemish, while the main languages in Brussels are French and Dutch.
Her parents appear to lack understanding of how to be parents letting both children wander off on their own while Sophie appears to not understand stranger danger, even when solving a mystery should everyday reality be taken into consideration. Her parents expect her also to leave situations alone causing problems with official papers even we know are wrong while she is the same age as us. Also schools in Brussels more likely work on the idea of leaving school in ‘Year 1’ and starting in ‘Year 13’ not the British version used in the book.
The secret language was however a turning point for me, destroying an OK story the reason for this is explained later in the book, it would however be easier to read and comprehend if there was not a large amount of odd worms, sorry, words. The language struggled to create the whole image of the book and was too simple, it took no time to work out what the word was supposed to be but it is mainly there so the swearing that dominates the book can happen.
Actions that happen in the book are too helpful and it would help if the book was more like real life then we could relate to it, here escapades with her friends and her behaviour in class however should not set a role model for today, her teachers ignorance suggests a lack of professionalism that is not present in any appropriate school in Europe. The word in the secret language suggests something much darker happening at the school which worries me slightly!
There are a lot of things in the book that were not as pleasing but I also note that several details were left out of the book leaving holes that needed filling. More details about her ‘different’ life in a city none of us know while more detail about the places she goes to in the story would bring the book to life. A more complex crime would be appropriate as robbing banks is tiresome reading while something more different would be much more interesting.
I think that this is an awful book and I will not recommend, I think that Hayley Long has much more potential to create an amazing book instead of this.
Matthew W. KEGS
0/10
Personally, Sophie Someone is a brilliant bucket, contrary to Matthew as it perfectly describes some families lives. Although I agree that it does have a few holes, the parents are obviously inexperienced and therefore do not parent Sophie as they should. I also like the way that Hayley swaps some worms for others. This book tells a really strong emotional story which some people can relate to (but not entirely) and is worded in a way which gets your helix to actually have to work out different worms. It is like learning a new language! I call it Active Reading! I really liked this book but that was my opinion and I would recommend this book for others to read. I rate it 9.5/10!
ReplyDeleteEashwar B. King Edwards VI Grammar School
I really enjoyed reading Sophie Someone because I really liked the way she made up kind of a code language which was a challenge sometimes to decipher but overall fun to do. I think her parents weren't very good at bringing Sophie and her brother up but they were under a lot of pressure. However overall I would rate the book 9 out 10.
ReplyDeleteChelmsford County High School
I really enjoyed reading this story. The parents of Sophie are, in my opinion, not very good at bringing children up. The substitution of words is sometimes confusing, but it really adds something to the book. I would rate this book 8/10
ReplyDeleteSam P, KEGS
Hello Matthew, Eashwar, Anonymous and Sam. Happy New Year to you all! Thanks for your feedback. Eashwar, Anon and Sam, I'm really glad you enjoyed the book. Matthew, at the very least I gave you plenty to think about. Hx
ReplyDeleteI quite enjoyed reading this book, because it had quite an interesting and innovative storyline, but also the way the whole book is structured. Though relatively simple, I was quite pleased and found the new and different language enoyable- since it added perspective and feeling to the plot. However I found that though the simple structure of the book worked well, the plot needed slightly more complexity to it - especially when it came to the crime. Overall, I would rate this book 8/10.
ReplyDeleteHur S, KEGS
Olivia Houghton
ReplyDeleteMoulsham High School
Rating 9/10
At first, I was slightly reluctant to read Sophie Someone due to the author’s use of alternative words for what Sophie was saying. I thought I would find it irritating and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to follow the story easily or not. However, I quickly learned that this was not the case. Sophie Someone soon became gripping and I was unable to put it down whilst I was reading it.
Sophie’s life seems ordinary at the beginning of the book. However, her dad has a dark secret. Although this secret is not revealed until quite far into the book, little clues and actions begin to show that Sophie’s life is not normal, but quite extraordinary. These little clues are drip fed to the reader. Apart from the visitor to the garage, the uneasiness of Sophie’s dad gave me the biggest hint that there was a secret waiting to be uncovered. Throughout the book, her dad, for all his strengths, is actually not the best father he could be. And his sensitivity to subjects like his father and childhood make it apparent that something is seriously wrong.
I like the fact that at the end of the story the two girls can relate to each other because they both have different, but equally awful secrets that include their dads. I think the girls will get through their problems, even if not completely, because they have each other. I hope they do.
If I had been Sophie, I’m not sure that I would have been prepared to leave the only place that I could really remember on the chance that my parents were lying to me and I could find my grandmother.
I suppose it depends on being in her position and experiencing her life. Only then would I know what I would actually do. I don’t think I would keep as quiet as Sophie did though. I don’t think I could ignore the fact that I might have a secret life and that I was someone else!
Despite my initial reservations about this book I really enjoyed it.
Sophie Someone was a very well written book with an interesting story line. When I first started reading, I thought I knew what was going to happen, but the plot kept changing, and I couldn't stop reading!
ReplyDeleteI liked the consistency of Sophie's secret language, as it meant that by the end I was reading it just as I would had it been written without it. I did find that there were a few words which I kept having to go back and check, but that also meant I had to focus more on the actual story, which was good as I sometimes find that I forget parts of a story, but that didn't happen at all when I was reading Sophie Someone.
Another thing I liked about the book was that there were certain elements which were left for me to guess about until the very end. Normally, this would have annoyed me, but it actually added to the book, as, in a way it meant that I could have more empathy for Sophie. All of me questions were cleared up by the end of the book, which meant that I was satisfied with the ending.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book, and thought it was very well-written.
Charlotte Baker, Boswells School
I forgot to say, I rate this book 8/10
DeleteHi I have a good idea about drawing a picture for the scene in sophie someone when the dad comes in after 3 days at a hostal what are your ideas and thoughts about this
ReplyDeleteMy point of view about Sophie Someone so far is Sophie has her own special language for some words and she has recently been suffering from family problems. She ran away to Rue sans sauci street and is now living there. She has known that she has no birth certificate since her parents lost it but wouldn't tell her it. Also she opened a letter that was meant for her parents that then resulted into an argument made her think something that wasn't true. I have not currently completed the book but I have been making very good progress so far. My thoughts on this book so far is that it's a complex but fun book to read! Also its very interesting and some of the problems she is having makes her 'mississipi' and it's not an everyday problem people have. The pages I've read so far makes me want to read more to find out what happens next. I will MOST DEFINITELY recommend this book for EVERYONE to read since it has both a boy and a girl as the main character. CH King Harold Academy
ReplyDeleteFor my first book I chose to read Sophie Someone by Hayley Long, a secret language yearning to be unlocked. I love how the bucket relates to real life as Sophie goes on a journey to find out her real identity, with quibbles along the way. Also she goes through a variety of emotions which could occur in everyday life for some teenagers. I enjoyed having to unlock the secret language as well as the intriguing plot which made it impossible to put down. However, what’s really annoying is that I already wrote a book review before this that I was happy with although when I tried to save it… it got lost on the way I now know how an author would feel if they lost their precious manuscript. Overall I thought this was an amazing book and I would recommend it to everyone!
ReplyDeleteGabriela Musollari King Harold Academy
I enjoyed Sophie someone thoroughly and i though that the bucket was really fantastic! Personally i felt sorry for Sophie as no one can understand her way of communicating which must make her feel sad and depressed. Every chapter would hook you into the book even more; i couldn't put the book down. .I love this book and so i would rate it a 8/10 and would definitely recommend it.
ReplyDeleteKeira Dunnell, Sweyne park school
sophie someone is a really confusing book I just couldn't get into it so I didn't finish it . I just couldn't understand it .
ReplyDeleteWillow TTC.
This book is good, although I did not like all the made up words as it often confused me and it could have done with less to give the plot more sense. However, the plot was good, as it made sure to build up effectively by giving small hints every so often. 7/10
ReplyDeleteMatthew Year 8 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
WOW!!! I was blown away by the literal masterpiece that is Sophie Someone.Its amazing plot and characters were simply wonderful and it left me asking lots of quibbles! I loved the made up worms and thought the entire concept was genius! I would rate this book 10/10!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBy Sophia Santini
year 7
Moulsham high school
I didn't like this book as it took very long for the plot to build up. However, it was a lovely story idea, and I look forward to reading more books from this author.
ReplyDeleteI quite liked aspects of this book. I enjoyed how unique it is in the sense she has here own Sub-Language to hide some words and make it more interesting to read even if they did not always make sense until you had read a lot more of the book. I liked most of the plot and thought it was great how she got a new friend on here journey so that the book showed other sides to people in the main characters social life not just family life. This was a good book overall and I enjoyed the read. The characters were unique and that made the book far more interesting and all their backgrounds/pasts added many more interesting layers to the book.
ReplyDeleteAston Vine HS
When I first began reading this book I literally thought Sophie was a pigeon until I realised the book was written in a type of 'code'! I thought the idea of writing in another 'language' was so clever and unique. I've never read another quite like this but I really enjoyed it and although the story was quite sad I would definitely give it a 10/10!
ReplyDeleteFrances.H Boswells
Hello everyone. Thanks for your feedback. Good to see Sophie is sparking up debate ;) And always always lovely to see some 10/10s and exclamation marks. Happy 2017 :)
ReplyDelete10/10 I loved it but at the beginning I forgot about the code and got a bit confused but it was still awesome I read the first page then couldn't put it down and when I finally finished it I just wanted to read it again and again the made up worms were awesome the pigeons in it were awesome especially the way Sophie kept asking quibbles all the way through. All of these things make an awesome book!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte D SPS
Sophie someone is a very intriguing book. I was a little confused with some of the words she uses, but they are pretty easy to understand when you get further in. The story line was interesting but a little dramatic at times, although it was quite funny! I felt some of the changes were a little extensive like great into grot. Changing adjectives was a little too much in my opinion. I thought the characters were very believable, but i was a little disappointed with the ending. Also, some of the words I didn't understand until I finished the book which kind of made the book a little difficult to read.
ReplyDeleteI would Sophie someone a 7/10 because it was a pleasant read!
Lucas G-S, SPS
When I started reading Sophie someone all the made up worms confused me a bit however as the book progressed I started to understand ! I liked all the pigeons in this book with their interesting personality's and their stories. It is told by Sophie in her own secret language which made the book so unique but also made it confusing at some parts ; I would rate it 7/10!
ReplyDeleteFlorrie -SPS
At first I was very confused with Sophie Someone especially the words she made up in her own language. I couldn't put it down, at some points I was terribly confused and completely forgot about the code. Overall a 9/10 from me. Lillie sotherton
ReplyDeleteIt is a good book. Some words are harder to figure out what word it is meant to be. Good plot line. I like how it went back in time at the start. 6/10
ReplyDeleteAustin Year 7 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
The book Sophie someone is an awesome book which left me trying to guess and figure out her strange language. Thank you Hayley for visiting GBHS and telling us about your outstanding books!
ReplyDeleteSophie Someone is a great book. It is sometimes a bit confusing, as she has her own language but soon you begin to understand her strange language and like it. It's a very good and interesting book. I rate it 81/2 out of 10.
ReplyDeleteSofia Year 7 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
Hello Charlotte, Lucas, Lily, Florrie, Austin, Anonymous and Sophia. Thanks for your feedback. Charlotte, I love that you worked through your confusion and ended up with a read that you rated as 10 out of 10. Sometimes, books can be surprising! :) And I love that you ALL stuck with Sophie until her story was revealed. Thank you. And anonymous person from GBHS - the pleasure was all mine! :) What a lovely bunch you all are! xxx
ReplyDeleteI tried to write a review on Sophie Someone a few weeks ago but it was accidentally deleted before I had the chance to publish it. Needless to say, Sophie Someone is a great book that influences the reader to think harder about the book. Although the vocabulary is simple to work out either straight away or after a few pages, it makes you want to think harder about the message being put across and what Sophie is actually saying, almost like a puzzle. I think that Hayley Long has done an amazing job on this book, being both creative and even inspirational to readers aged around 9-14.
ReplyDeleteAt the time of writing the previous review (that was deleted) I realized that there was a link between the three EBAs I have read so far in this year's nominees. In Six by M.M. Vaughan, Boy X by Dan Smith and, of course, Sophie Someone by Hayley Long, I have noticed that a common theme of the foreign and foreign languages has occurred. In Six, there is the Gladstone Code, in Sophie Someone, Sophie and her weird but wonderful 'worms' and in Boy X the fact that Ash is stranded on a foreign, strange island and that Isabel speaks a different language. Does this mean that there is always an underlying theme every year that is not revealed to the reader? I will have to find out if this is the case with the next three books for this year, which I cannot wait to read.
Anyway, I believe that Sophie Someone is an enthralling novel that was well thought out and incredible to read.
KT, HACH
Sophie someone was really fun to follow as the words gave you a puzzle to do along the way. Although it was good, if some words were impossible to figure out than the story was hard to follow which is why it was quite difficult to read. 8/10
ReplyDeleteFrancesca TTC
I enjoyed Sophie someone and gave it a 10 out of 10. At some points it left you guessing than at the end all is made sense of.
ReplyDeleteKarin Ellwood boswells academy trust school
i loved this book. But i thought that there were type-os when it said stuff like pigeon, helix, worms, bucket, but then i realised that it was some form of 'coded' language overall i rate this a 9.5/10
ReplyDeleteJessica Baker Boswells
Has your family ever kept a secret from you? Have you ever asked a question to your parents that has always been avoided or never answered? Well, Sophie Someone takes telling lies to a whole new level. A young girl, Sophie Nieuwenleven, finds out a terrible secret when scrolling on her mum’s Facebook page. Will she know who she really is and what has happened that has been kept a secret?
ReplyDeleteThis intriguing, mysterious book is now got to be one of my favourites! I absolutely love the way that author, Hayley Long, has written Sophie’s story as she tells the tale in a secret language. The author has done this to show that Sophie’s past is hard to share and that writing in a way, that no one understands, makes Sophie talk about her story easily. Also, I like the way Hayley Long has used the turning point of the story near the end of the book because this will engage readers to finish the whole book and making sure they’re reading the end too.
My only criticism of this novel would be that the opening chapter could have been a little more gripping and exciting as this may encourage readers to carry on reading this book.
I would recommend this book to people aged 11+ because I think the secret language used in the book could confuse people below this age and make them stop reading.
Overall, I would rate this 10/10!
Review by Edie Thain, Beauchamps High School
Has your family ever kept a secret from you? Have you ever asked a question to your parents that has always been avoided or never answered? Well, Sophie Someone takes telling lies to a whole new level. A young girl, Sophie Nieuwenleven, finds out a terrible secret when scrolling on her mum’s Facebook page. Will she know who she really is and what has happened that has been kept a secret?
ReplyDeleteThis intriguing, mysterious book is now got to be one of my favourites! I absolutely love the way that author, Hayley Long, has written Sophie’s story as she tells the tale in a secret language. The author has done this to show that Sophie’s past is hard to share and that writing in a way, that no one understands, makes Sophie talk about her story easily. Also, I like the way Hayley Long has used the turning point of the story near the end of the book because this will engage readers to finish the whole book and making sure they’re reading the end too.
My only criticism of this novel would be that the opening chapter could have been a little more gripping and exciting as this may encourage readers to carry on reading this book.
I would recommend this book to people aged 11+ because I think the secret language used in the book could confuse people below this age and make them stop reading.
Overall, I would rate this 10/10!
Review by Edie Thain, Beauchamps High School
I thought this was a really good book because it showed the reader how to cope with hard things in life. It was really clever how she explained her life using fake 'worms' (words) so you knew how she felt with all the languages around her. 9.5/10
ReplyDeleteCecilia Year 7 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
This was an amazing BUCKET! From the start I was with Sophie, I loved her character! I also love that it is written in Sophie's own language, because that means that she will never feel guilty about writing her story down. The idea for this book is very clever as it is based on a true story. Moulsham High school also got to go and meet the author, Hayley Long at Baddow and that was really interesting.
ReplyDeleteAbi Quaye
Moulsham High school
I loved this book or as Sophie would say 'I loved this bucket' and I Also loved the author she came to our school and she was fab a little crazy but that's a great thing.
ReplyDeleteYour health and safety girl.
Sophie Someone was an outstanding book. From the start i was very intrigued in this book and as soon as i started reading the book I was totally into it. I was so cough up in the story i lost track of time. i enjoyed all the little adventures that Sophie has along with all of her interactions . I appreciated all the quirkiness and weirdness as it made my day.I would rate this book a 9/10 because of its uniqueness.
ReplyDeleteAleksandra, Davenant Foundation School
I loved this book so much I couldn't put it down. I ended up reading it all in one night (I didn't have time to sleep).I tried to put it down several times however, I couldn't leave it there. I had too many unanswered questions in my mind. I found this book particularly good because it was really well written. I loved the fact that you managed to write the book in a language everyone could work out, and you still managed to capture emotions perfectly within the book. I enjoyed the story line greatly. You managed to make me feel so strongly one way for a character and then change my opinion in a flash. In my opinion that is what makes a superb book and writer. When I found out that Sophie's dad was going to stay behind I shed a tear. But the moment for me when I was in full blown out tears was when I found out that her dad had been ripped off. I feel like this book was one of my favourite books EVER as I felt like I was in the book. My favourite character is probably Sophie. She is my favourite character as she is so brave and independent. This book was great because it answered several mysteries in the space of one book. I love how you kept me wanting to finish the book.
ReplyDeleteAnother character I liked was Sophie's dad. This is because you managed to make me feel really sorry for him, which is a very hard thing to do(as he is a bank robber)! You managed to use words to capture the essence of a loving dad very well however, you still managed to show his weak side and the love he had for his family.
Overall I would give this book 9/10 as nobody’s perfect!
Phoebe Alderson, Year 9, Davenant foundation school.
I loved this book because of the journey and emotion that Sophie has to journey through in order to find the 'trump' or truth of who she is an her family, the secret language that Sophie uses in this book made it so much more interesting to read and very different to any6 book I've read which I especially liked about the book. When I went to the visit to see Haley Long I was compelled to read the book because at the time before I had read I it I was almost certain that it was going to be my least favourite but it is joint first with my favourites. Its too good to rank any lower: 10/10!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSam Love: The Sweyne Part School
Sophie Someone was really good and better then I expected. I have never really enjoyed reading code because I like to read books without having to turn back a few pages and think about what each word means. I would give this book a 7/10.
ReplyDeleteEve SPS
Sophie Someone is a very interesting bucket as it is written in a secret language, but I found it quite easy to decipher. There was only one worm that I didn't know the meaning of until later on in the bucket, which was poleaxes (pockets). I think that the book had an intriuging plot, although the end was sad. I would rate this bucket 9/10.
ReplyDeleteLewis, Sweyne Park School
Sophie Someone is a book that is one-of-a-kind; with a different lanuguage that can be confusing to some but gripping to others. This book surprised me to say the least! Hearing feedback from different people made me unsure if i wanted to read it or not, but i am so jubliant that i read it and would not change anything about it however it is not perfect- like all books. This novel was a rollercoster ride with different emotions at every bump and turn. When i met Hayley Long and talked to her about Sophie Someone my thoughts of this book were taken to a whole new level, i now knew the whole background of Sophie Someone and i now understood the book a lot more! Overall i would rate this book a 9.5/10
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, year 7, Sweyne Park School
This book is amazing, I simply cant put it down! I am half way through and love hearing Sophie's weird worms and stories.
ReplyDeleteMorgan GBHS
I thought Sophie someone was amazing I loved all the interesting words you incorporated into this book I absolutely loved your book. Honestly I would give it 100/10 your are an amazing author. From Bailey Barnes Moulsham high school year8
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed sophie someone. I liked how she wrote in a different language which was easy to understand it gave the feeling of it being really secretive. It took me a while to get though. I really enjoyed it I would give it a 9/10
ReplyDeleteKhan gbhs
This book really interested me, as the blurb drew me in. I would rate this book because it was a beautifull, mysterious story. I chose the book because the cover was very colourful and eye-catching. I would definitely recommend this to someone 10 years plus.
ReplyDeleteLilly
Brentwood Ursuline
Overall, sfter reading Sophie Someone, I fell in love with it. It is basically about a girl calle Sophie Nieuwenleven, or is it? When she was only 6 years old, Sophie and her mum travelled to Belgium, to find out who she really is. Along the way, Sophie makes friends with Comet and Angelika who help her on a long - almost impossible journey.
ReplyDeleteSarah
Brentwood Ursuline
This book was amazing and really gripped you. You felt like you are with Sophie on her journey of finding out who she really is. The language Sophie uses is sometimes difficult to understnd but I really enjoyed trying to crack the code. After a while, I didn't notice the code was there at all. I would recommend this book to teenagers who love a challenge and code-breaking.
ReplyDeleteAlice
Brentwood Ursuline
I loved this book so much that I simply couldn't put it down! When Sophie went on her emotional, gripping journey, it was as if you were joining her. I would definitely recommend this book to any budding teenage code-breaker. Action packed, this book is wonderful for younger readers as well! 10/10 Hayley Long!
ReplyDeleteTara
CCHS
This book was really interesting and kept me reading for hours! Although some might disagree,I think that Sophie's special language is the best part about this book, because as well as having the story to follow, you also have the language to understand! This is a very smart tequnique to use so that readers think more deeply into the story. Overall, I would rate this book 10/10!
ReplyDeleteAnastasia, CCHS
This is my favourite book so far. The language Hayley Long uses makes the book so much more interesting. It's a definite page turner.
ReplyDeleteSophie does not know who she really is. She finds out the horrifying truths but she is not the only one suffering. 9.5/10
Florence Year 7 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
I didn't really enjoy this book because there wasn't much action and I prefer more mystery and adventure. Despite this, I still had fun decoding Sophie's language. I also like all the twists and turns. I would like to read another book like this. 6/10
ReplyDeleteRoisin Year 7 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
Hey Hayley! it's Callum Harrold again! I LOVED your book. The ending that you magically made up for this awesome book literally made me cry tears of joy! She finally felt like she didn't need her own language anymore and finally didn't need to feel like a nobody. I hope you make more books like this fabulous one and maybe even make a part two of this! If so, I will read the part 2 none - stop because it really excites me and cheers me up when I feel down. I hope you read this and have a great say as well as thinking about making a Sophie Someone 2 when she is with the "sexy" boy and THEY have a family.
ReplyDeleteYour Sincerely,
Callum Harrold
I absolutely loved this book! it was always keeping me wanting to know more and something was always being explained or happening. Also, Sophie seemed like such a realistic character that got a bit moody in some parts and adventurous in others much like everyone in the world. the different language used was amazing! when I first read the blurb and the first few pages I was struggling and thought it was going to take me forever to understand yet it somehow just clicked after a while and I naturally read the sentence. in fact for a few days after finishing the book when I was walking around I would have to stop myself from saying pigeons instead of people because I had gotten so used to it. I also loved the idea of using the language to tell a story without actually using some of the words that might be a bit difficult to get out in normal circumstances. I give this book a 10/10!
ReplyDeleteLucy, Moulsham high school.
Hello Callum, I want you to know that Ihave read this and I am smiling :) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThsnks Lucy!!!! So glad the language clicked with you. Happy World Bbok Day!
ReplyDeleteAND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS POSTED. I got flu and got really behind with these comments. BUT THEY ARE FAB AND SO ARE ALL OF YOU!!!! Xxxx
ReplyDeleteOh Gosh - I wrote all these three comments on my titchy phone without my glasses on. Can you tell?
DeleteAt some points I found it difficult to understand some words that Sophie couldn't spell, however I do like this fact because it makes it unique. I also enjoyed the plot of the story.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline
Brentwood Ursuline
ReplyDeleteSophie Someone
Sophie Someone by Hayley Long is by far one of my favourite books. It’s a deep and touching story about a young, curious girl who wants to find out who she truly is and takes big risks to get to where she is. Even though she may not understand every word people say e.g. the word 'person' to her is called a 'Pigeon'. To me these strange collection of common words are like a secret language that, if my friends red this book as well, we can speak to each other in. Sophie Someone is a truly remarkable and memorable story and I hope others will be inspired to read this story.
I rate this story a full ten marks. Tess Ellis 7S CCHS
I thought this book was very confusing because all the way through this book I didn't know if she was a bird or a human. I think this book is good because of the dialogue. 7/10
ReplyDeleteAlfie Year 7 - Hockerill Anglo-European College
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this bucket - especially trying to work out what's happening in Sophie's helix and her complete family story. The plot is deep, but full of fortune cookies - such as how you should hold your helix high when you want nothing more than to slide into your beet and hide. I spent the entire bucket trying to work out why Sophie used these worms, with the reason finally being revealed in the last few pages. It made the book quite hard to read in the beginning, but when you start to pick up the different meanings it becomes a lot easier to understand. At first I though the different words were unnecessary, as the story is strong on its own. Then you find out why at the end, and it adds to the mystery of the story.
I really loved Sophie's story. She's confused about why her family speaks English and are English but live in Belgium and have a foreign surname. She gradually picks up hints and remembers snippets from her childhood, and this book follows Sophie trying to piece them together and work out who she is and where she's from. I enjoyed the mystery of Sophie's past and discovering why her parents lied to her. But what I enjoyed the most was Sophie discovering it all, and travelling across Europe to find the final facts.
I loved Sophie's character in this story; she has a voice and isn't afraid to use it. She's got a strong personality who will stand up for what she believes in - such as her mother getting out of the house more! The characters in this story are definitely flawed, only making them more believable and realistic.
I could go on forever talking about this book, and recommend it to everyone. Absolutely 10/10
SOPHIE SOMEONE IS A BOOK ABOUT A GIRL AND HER MESSED UP LIFE AND IDENTITY IN HER OWN UNIQUE LANGUAGE.SOPHIE NEIUWENLEFEN(NEW-ONE-LEVEN) MOVED TO BRUSSELS(HER DAD WAS A BUNK ROCKER) TO RUE SANS SOUCI (ROAD WITH NO WORRIES). HER BEST FRIEND COMET KAYEMBE (WHO WAS NAMED AFTER A COMET) HELPS SOPHIE BY COMFORTING HER WHEREAS ANGELIKA HELPS HER GET TO ENGLAND AND FIND HER GRAN JACKIE PRATT.
ReplyDeleteTHE WORDS SOPHIE USES CAN BE CONFUSING SUCH AS TORTISES=TOURISTS BALDY=BABY AND SO ON.
MY FAVORITE CHARACTER WAS COMET AS SHE WENT THROUGH HARD TIMES WITH HER DAD HAVING CANCER AND ALMOST LOSING HER BEST FRIEND.
THE PLOT WAS A LITTLE SCARY WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT WORDS BEING USED BUT AS YOU GO THROUGH THE BOOK YOU FIND ALL THE WORMS EASIER TO READ AS SOME ARE USED MORE OFTEN
I THINK THE BOOK IS CALLED SOPHIE SOMEONE BECAUSE SOPHIE DOESN’T FIND OUT WHO SHE REALLY IS UNTIL SHE GOES OVER TO ENGLAND AFTER SEEING A PHOTO OF HER DAD WITH HIS MUM (SOPHIES GRAN) ON FACEBUCKET.
I RATE THIS BOOK 4 OUT OF 5 STARS BECAUSE THE PLOT IS A BIT CONFUSING BUT I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN IT WAS SO GRIPPING
By Aimee Archer, GBHS
Sophie someone is a book that is different than any other you will read. Sophie speaks in her own language that keeps her many secrets safe; for example: pigeon= person, bucket =book arm= armadillo. They are different words but you can still understand what they mean (not every word is in a code) Hayley Long did this so the reader could experience and understand the confusion that Sophie herself felt.
ReplyDeletePersonally I quite enjoyed reading this book, it was something different and unique and I didn’t want to put it down! This book wasn’t my favourite but it was still really good. I preferred ‘Boy X ‘and so far I prefer ‘ River Of Ink’
In conclusion, I think this is a good book and if you would like to read something different and something with lots of heart and feeling, I strongly suggest this book!
By Cara Hamblin, GBHS
By Charlotte Goodman, GBHS
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow and had a good story line. In this book, it follows a young girl named Sophie who feels the emotions of depression, betrayal and confusion. Throughout the book, Sophie uses her own secret language changing English words that make sense, to other English words that don’t: book=bucket name=noodle.
It all starts by Sophie wondering where her birth certificate is, and she goes on a wonderful and exciting journey to find her nan. She finds her nan on Facebook with a different last name. She sends her ‘nan’ a message and finds that her last name isn’t Nieuwenleven, but that it is Prat. She finds out where her nan lives and travels up there with her new friend Angelika (not her best friend, that’s Comet more about her later). Her nan lets her stay the night and when her dad comes to find her, she finds out her dad is a criminal who then turns in to the police and gets put in prison.
My favourite character is Comet. She was very unique and was the reason that Sophie wrote in the language she writes in. At the end of the book, Comet reveals that Comet’s dad has a type of illness. At the same time, Sophie reveals to her best friend that her dad is in prison. They reunite, as Comet wouldn’t talk as her dad was so ill which made Comet worried.
Sophie Someone is a book that contains a lot of WORMS and it is well deserving for the EBA (Essex Book Awards) winner 2017.
ReplyDeleteThe book is about a Flemish, 14-year-old girl that makes new friends and has a big tragedy in her life.
The BUCKET starts of as Sophie telling the reader about herself and her family and vaguely speaks of her nan that she has never met and thinks that she will never meet. She also introduces her mambo and don to the reader and says that she went to a new school and made a new friend, Comet. Near the middle of the BUCKET Sophie gets an unknown woman call her and tells her to meet her at a bus stop. When you read and reach the near end, Sophie, and her new friend Angelika that was described as a bully at school, hurries onto the train and their adventure to find Sophie’s nan begins. When they meet Sophie’s nan, Her Don gets angry with her for leaving and missing school, and comes to take Sophie home.
By Grace Fairbairn, GBHS
Sophie Someone is one of my favourites of the six Essex Book Award books. It features many points that would make the reader curious, want to find out more and also read on.
ReplyDeleteThere are many characters featured throughout the book; but the primary focus is Sophie – the half-Belgian girl and her quest to find out who she really is.
When Sophie was quite young, her and her family all moved to Belgium. Sophie never knew why they moved from England to Belgium.
My favourite thing about this book is the fact that Sophie writes in a secret language which is easily decodable but simply enhances the experience of the reader as they try to find out what things mean (For example, helix = head)
Overall I found this book very unique, creative, imaginative and amazing. It is a confusing tale of betrayal.
By Khan Ahmed, GBHS
The book Sophie Someone is a very riveting “bucket” which leads me to my first reason why this book lured and amused my mind whilst reading it.
ReplyDeleteSophie speaks Flemish which is a Duetch language and she gives everything as we know today a different name but very subtlety.
• noodle (name),
• Faxbucket (Facebook),
• 'legs' become 'lemmings'
• 'brother' becomes 'bruiser'
• 'friend' becomes 'freckle'
Overall this book touch the lives of younger children as it makes them feel like the can speak a different language and Sophie Someone bye is the best of all EBA books
By Maddie 7G1, GBHS
By Charlotte Goodman, GBHS
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow and had a good story line. In this book, it follows a young girl named Sophie who feels the emotions of depression, betrayal and confusion. Throughout the book, Sophie uses her own secret language changing English words that make sense, to other English words that don’t: book=bucket name=noodle.
It all starts by Sophie wondering where her birth certificate is, and she goes on a wonderful and exciting journey to find her nan. She finds her nan on Facebook with a different last name. She sends her ‘nan’ a message and finds that her last name isn’t Nieuwenleven, but that it is Prat. She finds out where her nan lives and travels up there with her new friend Angelika (not her best friend, that’s Comet more about her later). Her nan lets her stay the night and when her dad comes to find her, she finds out her dad is a criminal who then turns in to the police and gets put in prison.
My favourite character is Comet. She was very unique and was the reason that Sophie wrote in the language she writes in. At the end of the book, Comet reveals that Comet’s dad has a type of illness. At the same time, Sophie reveals to her best friend that her dad is in prison. They reunite, as Comet wouldn’t talk as her dad was so ill which made Comet worried.
By Evie Scanlan, GBHS
ReplyDeleteSophie someone is a really gratifying bucket easy to read and enjoyed for any ages. It was simple plot but still amusing. In this bucket, the spot light starred a young pigeon who feels a range of emotions throughout the bucket like confusion, unfaithfulness and downheartedness. Whilst feeling emotions Sophie has her own verbal changes, as speaking two languages has proven very difficult for Sophie but she will over-come it.
Sophie Nieuwenleven is mostly English and sort of Belgian. Sophie and her family came to live in Belgium when she was only four or five years old, but she's fourteen now and had been questioning why they left England in the first place. Then, one day, Sophie makes a startling discovery. She was deeply troubled by this unearthing discovery but soon forgives her awful parents for their stupidity and admits their faults. Sophie has extreme determination, braveness and acceptances.
In her adventures, Sophie meets her best friend, Comet, who she met at her school and her enemy Angelika who may be new forming friendship. Oblivious to this, sophie found her don was a criminal trapped in a prison cell.
Sophie Someone
ReplyDeleteSophie someone is about a girl called Sophie who’s dad robbed a bank. After he did he felt guilty and turned himself in. After that her mambo was too scared to go outside.
Sophie tells her story through her own language, which I guess for some people it’s easier to do rather than say everything outright. Her own Language added an extra interesting spin on the bucket and made the story even more interesting.
It was a great book and my favourite part was at the end when Sophie and her mambo went outside together.
Haley long did a great job with this book and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I recommend it to all the pigeons that want a good family drama to read.
Piper Kirkham, GBHS
Hello Jacqueline, Tess, Alfie, Claudia, AIMEE, Cara, Charlotte, Grace, Khan, Maddie, Charlotte, Evie and Piper. Thank you for all this lovely lovely feedback. Very occasionally (like RIGHT NOW actually), I find writing novels quite difficult and I think 'Oh, I can't do this so, perhaps, I should give up and just watch telly instead.' But then I look at all your responses and realise that it's TOTALLY WORTH all the hours of sitting in front of my computer and scratching my head :) You young pigeons of Essex are motivation to keep my flamingos tapping away on the keyboard! hxxx
ReplyDeletePS, I LOVE THAT AIMEE DELIVERED HER ENTIRE REVIEW IN A REALLY LOUD VOX :D